Cryptocurrency, Investing, Money, Economy, Business, and Debt:
Publicly Traded U.S. Crypto Miners Double Bitcoin Holdings to Almost 100K in a Year
SEC files opening brief in its appeal against Ripple over XRP
Coinbase Restarts Bitcoin-Backed Loans via Ethereum Network Base
Coronavirus News, Analysis, and Opinion:
Meet the Americans who still take COVID-19 precautions seriously
Politics:
Patriotism is still, I guess, the last refuge of scoundrels. But for the past 45 years or so — ever since Reagan — economic growth has come a close second. The left isn’t completely free from this nonsense, but mostly what we see are right-wing politicians justifying cruel and/or irresponsible policies — massive tax cuts for the rich, harsh treatment of the poor and working class — with the claim that all will be well because these policies will unleash rapid economic growth.
Donald Trump has brought his own brand of nonsense, with claims that tariffs can make foreigners pay for everything. But the old voodoo is still very much part of the mix.
Supreme Court Approves TikTok Shutdown
The unanimous decision may deal a death blow to the U.S. operations of the wildly popular app, which serves up short-form videos that are a leading source of information and entertainment to 170 million Americans, especially younger ones.
Between the Lines of Jack Smith's Final Report
The Jack smith report does more than outline Trump's crimes; it lays bare the delays inherent in the system - and if we don’t address them - no AG will be able to hold future despots accountable.
House GOP Asks Trump to Hold Back on Executive Orders
The House Republican leadership has asked the incoming Trump administration to hold off on rolling back several Biden-era policies by executive order so that GOP lawmakers can repeal them in a reconciliation bill instead.
The GOP-run Congress has to find savings as part of any reconciliation package. And if President-elect Donald Trump wipes out big-ticket Biden policies using executive orders, Congress can’t claim them as savings in reconciliation.
One of the Coldest Inaugurations Ever
It will be bitterly cold for President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration Monday as temperatures dip well below average for this time of year in the D.C. area.
The weather forecast calls for a chance of snow Sunday followed by gusty winds and high temperatures only around 20 degrees.
20°F bitterly cold? In Minnesota, we call that a January heatwave. People go to the grocery store wearing shorts, I kid you not.
Trump’s Fraud Penalty Is Now $502 Million
Quietly, just before the calendar turned for the new year, an already whopping debt tentatively owed by President-elect Donald Trump and co-defendants in his New York civil fraud case hit an eye-popping, interest-accumulating milestone: half a billion dollars.
Trump, two of his sons and a former executive at his company were ordered in February 2024 to pay $364 million in ‘ill-gotten gains’ and millions more in interest dating back years. The figure, which was then $464 million, continued to accrue more than $114,000 in interest per day. The judgment is on appeal.
The total crossed $500 million on Dec. 29, and stands at more than $502 million on Thursday, a spokesperson for New York Attorney General Letitia James confirmed.
Johnson Taps Ukraine Aid Critic to Lead Intel Panel
Speaker Mike Johnson has tapped Rick Crawford, an Arkansas Republican who has opposed Ukraine aid, to replace defense hawk Mike Turner atop the Intelligence Committee.
Trump Team Sweats McConnell’s Vote on Gabbard
Former Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) conspicuous silence is starting to spook Tulsi Gabbard’s team.
McConnell is studiously avoiding public or private indications that he’ll support Trump’s nominees.
Voting against Gabbard would resume hostilities between McConnell and Trump. It could have implications for big policy questions down the line, from funding Ukraine to raising tariffs.
Early Wednesday evening, shortly before I published news of CNN’s looming lineup changes, Jim Acosta received a peculiar telephone call from CNN chief Mark Thompson. Thompson, I’m told, delivered the veteran journalist a sudden and strange proposal: Move your show to midnight and anchor it until 2am ET…
Of course, it’s impossible to ignore the obvious: Sidelining Acosta would also work to curry favor with Donald Trump, who very much despises the CNN anchor.
Said one media executive: “They want to get rid of Acosta to throw a bone to Trump. Midnight is not a serious offer when his ratings are among the best on the network.”
Serendipity:
